Tim Tebow: Why a Year Away from the NFL Is Best for Polarizing QB

As asinine as that sounds, it's true, especially when it comes to his NFL future.

In reality, Tebow isn't anywhere near a prototypical quarterback. We all know that. His elongated delivery, sporadic accuracy issues and inability to quickly read defenses make that obvious.

But the media circus that follows him everywhere makes him nearly undesirable to every team.

Without it, he probably would be considered by many front offices.

Just think, plenty of incapable quarterbacks have caught on as backups, third-stringers or novelty signal-callers over the years, but none of them came with as much distracting baggage as Tebow.

So, how does he reduce the ubiquitous buzz that surrounds him?

Step away from the NFL for a year.

Tebow, at least for a little while longer, will find his way onto ESPN and will be discussed by other media outlets.

Remember, search-engine optimization is king today, whether we like it or not.

People won't suddenly stop typing "Tim Tebow" into Google.

But, if he's not a member of an NFL team, and spends the year training and honing his lacking quarterback skills, the attention will naturally wane.

No press conferences. No "Tebow" chants in any NFL stadiums.

He should make it as difficult as possible for anyone to create a fresh story or angle about him.

Essentially, Tebow and his public relations team should put forth a concerted effort to reduce his publicity—crazy, right?

Now, if a team offers him a deal this offseason, he shouldn't decline. But fading away from the NFL's premier spotlight would be a bold yet calculated and smart decision.

In 2014, his return would undoubtedly be covered, but by then, the "heroics" of the 2011 season with the Denver Broncos would be a distant memory, and a good portion of America presumably would have lost its fascination in Tebow's Cinderella story.

Theoretically, he would have improved mechanics and not nearly as much media attention. Therefore, he would be adequately appealing to a team that wants to incorporate more read-option into its offense, or, say, just add more options to its 3rd-and-short or goal-line package.

A year hiatus from the professional game wouldn't deter teams anymore than it has now—heck, he basically took a year off from football in 2012 with the New York Jets, didn't he?

Tebow won't ever be an elite quarterback. He probably will never lead another team to the postseason. He may never again be a starting signal-caller.

But he can be useful to a well-coached team with a front office concerned with winning, not just selling tickets.

So, he should let his fame subside by not playing in 2013, giving him time to prepare for the 2014 season.

Will Tebow do it?

Probably not.

Athletes can never get enough fame.

However, if he wants to be taken seriously by an NFL team—a future employer—he should do whatever he can to diminish what has become the dreaded Tim Tebow media circus.